A Gift for Jack
by Volunteer95
Summary: What if Hotch had went with Jack and Haley into protective custody? What if someone was protecting Hotch? What does Reid have up his sleeve and who does he know?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Set after the Reaper shot Hotch in season four. AU of what could have happened**

* * *

Reid looked at Hotch telling his son goodbye and shook his head. Jack was a great kid who deserved to grow up with both of his parents and Reid couldn't let this happen. He wasn't supposed to be there, he'd been shot, but he'd requested to get to go to where Hotch was. Pulling out his phone he propped against the wall and made a phone call.

"Hey, it's me. I need a favor. I'll consider us even if you can do this and keep them safe." Reid stated and sighed in relief. As he looked back he saw Hailey and Jack being walked back towards Aaron's room. Turning he headed back to his room; at least now Hotch would be safe and happy.

* * *

Reid had just closed his eyes when he heard someone cough and he found himself looking at Hailey.

"I know you're trying to rest, but can I talk to you for a minute?" Hailey questioned and Reid nodded pulling himself up.

"Sam told me that Aaron's coming with us and that not even he is going to know where we're going." Hailey began and Reid nodded.

"That's good, Jack needs both of you with him." Reid smiled and Hailey chuckled softly as tears slipped down her cheeks.

"I just want to say that this team is made up of the best people that Aaron has ever had the pleasure of working with. I want you to remember that when the cases get hard. He may not always say it, but Aaron is very proud of all of you and he cares more than you could imagine." Hailey assured him and Reid nodded.

"I know. I want you to know that Hotch cares about you and Jack as well. He's taken being seperated from both you and Jack very hard. This job it takes a lot to do and I know you may not fully understand why he came back after he was suspended, but I know it was a hard decision for him to make. Not being there for some of the moments in Jack's life and other times forgetting have hurt him far more than any case we'll ever work will. I can see that you still care about him and what happens to him even though you're mad at him for the danger that comes with this job. What I'm about to say may, or actually almost certainly will, make you mad at me, but you need to hear it. When you chose to marry Hotch you knew the person that he would become even if you weren't sure of the job he would have. I have no doubt that his personality and drive was still very strong. You can't be mad at him for being who he is and who he was." Reid finished and Hailey simply stared at him and nodded.

"I hope you get better soon, Dr. Reid." Hailey concluded and stood to leave.

"Spencer." Reid called after her and she stopped.

"Spencer." Hailey agreed and then she walked back to where Jack and Aaron were.

* * *

Reid left the hospital that evening and listened to the team discuss what they were going to do now that Hotch had left.

"He's going to come back once we catch the Reaper, but until then Strauss has placed me in charge. I-I hope that you all understand this isn't what I wanted and that I'm not trying to replace Hotch." Morgan elaborated and the team all nodded. It would be different for a while, but at least Hotch was safe and the team was still a team. Now all they had to do was capture the Reaper to bring the rest of the family home.

* * *

Hotch smiled as Jack curled up beside him and drifted off to sleep. Hailey was downstairs talking to her sister while they washed dishes. Gently he pulled the blanket up around Jack's shoulders and kissed his head. While most people would call him crazy for being relaxed when the Reaper was out there he knew that there was no way they would be found. His family was safe until the Reaper was caught and this was the time he needed to bond with Jack. Placing his arm around Jack he closed his eyes and fell asleep as well.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I'm glad that those of you that reviewed like the story so far. I'll be updating it as regularly as possible and it will be several chapters long.**

* * *

 **Time hop:**

It had been a week since Hotch, Haley, and Jack had left. Reid was currently sitting at his desk and writing a letter that he needed to send off soon. Looking down he gulped; he knew what he was doing was dangerous, but he refused to let anything happen. Besides his Mom the only other people he was protective of was his team. Sending the paper through his copier he made around three hundred copies and then started addressing envelopes. While it might not be the smartest decision, and the statistics were heavily weighed against him, this was the only way he knew to protect Hotch. Now all he had to do was make sure that Rossi or the rest of the team didn't find out. He knew that if they did and anyone told Hotch then Hotch would leave and come back. Thinking about how he'd felt growing for the majority of his life withtout a dad he knew that was something he would never let happen to Jack.

Rossi watched as Morgan moved into Hotch's office and took over it for the time being. The team had been shocked when Haley and Jack started walking back in with Sam and Rossi had been confused. He knew it would be harder for Hotch if spent more time with Jack and then had to let him go. Haley had directed Jack back to his Dad's room and once they were safely inside Sam had disappeared. He hadn't wanted to intrude so he'd stayed outside the room until Sam resurfaced perhaps thirty minutes later accompanied by Hotch's doctor. They had disappeared for an additional hour before the doctor resurfaced without Sam. Finally the curtains had been pulled back and Haley had stormed passed him with tears in her eyes. At first he thought that there was bad news about Hotch, but then he was motioned inside by Sam. Sam had taken Jack to get something out of the vending machine and that's when Aaron had told him. Somehow Aaron would be going with them and after Sam dropped them off not even he would know where they were going. He wasn't sure what agency had agreed to help Hotch or how it had happened. When Haley returned she was a little irritated, but the tears had dried and she was smiling. It had been hard to part with who he now considered his closest friend, but he knew that it was best for all involved. He had made Aaron one promise before he left; no matter what he would protect the team. Now he just hoped that he could keep that promise. When Foyet noticed that Aaron, Haley, and Jack were nowhere to be found he would be out for blood and try to hit Hotch the only other place he could; the team.


	3. Chapter 3

As Rossi walked into the conference room just a few moments after he looked around to make sure that everyone was handling this. Morgan looked nervous but overall determined to lead, Prentiss was to his right hand side confident and ready to support Morgan, JJ was at the screen with the current story ready to go, Garcia was on Morgan's left and had several files in front of her, and then there was a Reid.

To the others it wouldn't have appeared as anything, either because they didn't have as many years experience or because they were stressed, but he could see the nervousness. Reid's hands were folded instead of lying freely as usually and he was slightly holding himself away from the others. He wasn't sure if he was simply upset that Hotch had left without telling him goodbye or if he was trying to hide something. In the couple of years that he had known Reid certain things were hard not to notice. He knew that Reid had a hard time getting over Gideon leaving and was afraid that Hotch leaving would cause the same problems. From observing he knew that while Reid didn't see Hotch as a surrogate dad he did view him as either a brother or an uncle. No one had ever really spoken about what happened to Reid after Gideon left but he knew that it had been emotional for him.

Giving Reid one last worried look he focused on what JJ was saying.

* * *

Meanwhile Aaron was sitting on the front porch swinging with Jack curled up beside him. He'd finally gotten Jack to fall asleep around thirty minutes ago and he was just enjoying the peace and quiet. He knew that technically most people would be scared Foyet would find them, but he was being protected by some of the best people in the business.

When they'd left the hospital Sam had driven them to the airport were they were taken by airport security to the back. From there he went on one plane, Jack and Haley went on a second, and Haley's mom and sister had went on a third. Everyone agreed it was for the best not to tell Haley's dad where they were going since he was hardly every around. Jack had been put into the homeschool system, though he didn't show up in any database, and he was able to spend a lot of time with him. The door creaked and Haley crept out onto the porch making sure not to wake Jack. She sat there for a moment just staring at them with tears in her eyes and a content look on her face.

"You're so good with him. I don't tell you that enough, but you're an amazing dad, Aaron." Haley smiled softly and Aaron blinked at her in shock.

"Haley, I...you're the amazing one. You've been there since day one and..." Aaron rebutted and Haley stood placing her hand over his mouth.

"I think you and I need to have a talk. Why don't we go put our little guy down for a nap and I can have Jessica watch him." Haley suggested and Aaron nodded standing and lifting Jack up against his chest.


	4. Chapter 4

Aaron and Haley walked along the beach as the water lapped against their feet. Haley bent down every so often and picked a seashell up for Jack. Aaron wasn't sure what to say and so he just held Haley's hand and waited for her to start. Suddenly Haley stopped and just stared across the water as the sun started to drop.

"I owe you an apology, Aaron. You are an amazing dad, and I've allowed you to believe that you've failed. Before we left I went to see Reid and talk to him about what was happening. I intended to say thank-you for giving us this chance to be a family again, but then he started talking. He told me that what he was going to say would make me mad, but that I needed to hear it. What he said did make me mad, but only because he was right. Aaron, when I agreed to marry you all those years ago I knew to some extent what I was getting into. I knew that you would have a job you were passionate about. I knew once you started at the BAU that you had found that job and I was happy for you. I always knew that no matter how far away your job took you that you would always come home to me because our love would give you the stength you needed. If you're up for it...I'd like to be a family again. This is the happiest I've seen Jack in a long time and honestly it's the happiest I've been. When they got us from the house I was so afraid that you were dead. My biggest regret would have been not telling you any of this, and not telling you how much I love you." Haley admitted and Aaron felt tears prick his eyes.

He pulled her into his arms and held her close. He would take being stabbed a thousand times if he knew this was the result. It may have taken moving to a remote place, but it had never felt more like home.

* * *

 **Timehop to a month after Hotch left:**

Reid read the paper that evening, well several papers actually, and sighed. He grabbed the letters from his stack and headed down to his mailbox. Dropping the letters into the mailbox he walked back up the stairs and stopped. Propped against his door was a newspaper. As he bent down and picked it up he noticed it was from the first day after he'd sent the letters. Flipping to the page he saw a piece of paper tapped over one of the articles. Written were four words, 'Consider yourself the prey'. He didn't need to peel it back to know what article it was over, but as he did the words, 'Why don't you stop hunting Hotch and starting hunting me? Unless you're afraid I'll be the one to catch you' could be seen. Reid turned and headed back down the stairs. Now that he had Foyet's attention there wasn't really any reason to print the same letter in 300 different newspapers for the third week in a row. As he opened his box and pulled the letters back out he chuckled at the irony. For the past three weeks he'd lived in fear that Foyet would find Hotch before he saw one of the articles, but now that he knew Foyet was actually watching him...he felt releaved. Going back into his apartment he laid down on the couch and closed his eyes. Most people would have checked the apartment, but he didn't have to. He knew that while Foyet was indeed watching him that he wouldn't strike this soon. He'd want to mess with him before he killed him, and that would be his chance to find Foyet first.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Hey guys I got a request for an update so here it goes. I'll try and update as much as possible between my other fics and college.**

* * *

Slowly the front door opened and light momentarily filled Reid's apartment before a figure entered and approached the couch. The figure, from the light of the moon it was obvious to tell it was a man, slipped on a gas mask. A small canister was thrown and gas started to release into the air. When he was sure that Reid was asleep he stepped forward and observed him closely. The young man oddly looked peaceful even though he should know by now that his proposal had been accepted. For a moment it looked like Reid was going to be attacked before the figure moved on towards Reid's bookshelf. One by one the books were removed, any covers were slid off, and then they were all positioned facing frontwards. It took another hour for the rest of the project to be finished and then the figure crossed the room and left just as silently as he had entered. In fact had he been intent on killing Reid then no one would have been able to stop him. As the man stepped back into the light grayish hair could be seen before the door shut.

* * *

The next morning Reid opened his eyes and, though he would never admit it, shrieked. All of his books were facing him, but that wasn't the weird part; okay so it was weird...just not as weird as what was on the books. Taped in the middle of the books was one of the first articles he'd ever posted surrounded by pictures that were dated from the day Hotch left forward. As he scanned the pictures he sighed in relief. At least there were none of Hotch and family which meant that for now they were safe. Slumping down on the couch he took deep breaths. Why hadn't the noise woke him up? He wasn't that heavy of a sleeper and no one was silent enough to pull all of this off. As he stared listlessly and tried to figure out what had happened his eyes noticed a canister. Gently he picked it up and realized automatically that it was sleeping gas. Mentally he smacked himself, then for good measure he actually did, before standing and grabbing his camera. He took pictures of what he'd found and then slowly peeled the pictures off. One by one he placed them into a box and then moved to his hall closet and junked everything into his bedroom before taking and taping the pictues on the wall exactly like they had been. Nodding to himself he went to get ready for work; he could worry about Foyet in his off time. It was a testament to how out of it he was that he didn't notice the small message on the paper he'd received. It was from the fourth day of printing and in the corner of the paper was another message. "How stupid are you, Reid?"


End file.
